Sennelier Watercolour S1 Chinese White (112)

Zinc White is the coolest white with a cold, clean masstone and a slightly bluish tint. It has less hiding power and is more transparent than other whites. It dries slowly and is suitable for painting wet into wet, glazing, and scumbling. Zinc White is neither as opaque nor heavy as Lead White; its covering power is not as good, and it takes much longer to dry.

However, it does not blacken when exposed to sulphur in the air as Lead White does. Therefore, it is precious for making tints with other colours. Unmixed Zinc White dries to a brittle and dry paint film that may crack over the years, so it is unsuitable for frescoing.

It is more transparent in acrylic form than Titanium White and is the most commonly used white with gouache. Chinese White is a version of Zinc White appropriate for opaque watercolour techniques.

Pigment Name: PW4—Zinc White

Pigment Type: Inorganic

Permanence: Zinc White has excellent permanence and lightfastness.

Toxicity: Zinc White is moderately toxic if ingested and slightly toxic if inhaled.

History: Though historians are divided on who first isolated the element zinc, they agree that it was first suggested as a white pigment in 1782. Zinc White was accepted as a watercolour in 1834 and was called Chinese White due to the popularity of oriental porcelain in Europe at the time. Ten years later, a suitable oil form was produced. By the early 20th century, it had improved to the point where it was an acceptable alternative to Flake White.

Alternate Names: Chinese White, French White, Permanent White, Silver White, Snow White, Zinc Oxide.